Putting Accrington on the Powerhouse map

A gathering of business and civic leaders from Accrington outlined their views on the Northern Powerhouse and what they want to see from the project during a meeting with one of its major figures.

Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, also gave his take on the relevance of the project to the Hyndburn area – and the economic importance of connecting towns and cities across the North of England.

He was the guest of the #AmazingAccrington group, which is a collective from all sectors determined to push a positive image of the area.

The agenda for the meeting at Accrington and Rossendale College was how to create a positive feeling for the area to attract inward investment, to create fertile ground for businesses to grow and how to improve its transport and communications infrastructure.

It was attended by Hyndburn Council and the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive Miranda Barker.

Business leaders at the meeting included Andy Holt, managing director of What More UK, Ken Shackleton, MD of The Cardboard Box Company, David McMurray, MD of McMurrays Haulage and Boyd Hargreaves, MD of Oswaldtwistle Mills.

Mr Murison said: “I think it is really important that, in Accrington, people are getting together through #AmazingAccrington to tell a clear story about where they live, about the pride they have in their place, the pride they have in their people and the pride they have in their businesses.

“If you can tell a strong story about yourselves then you’ve got every chance to succeed.

“It’s about getting yourself on the map and making people want to do business here, invest here and, most importantly, wanting young people who grow up here to do well in life, which is something that if you can pull together to achieve, you’ve got a great future ahead of you.”

Subjects raised during the discussion included west to east connectivity, harnessing the area’s advanced manufacturing expertise and how the sector could be pushed as a viable route for young people pursuing careers.

Joe McIntyre, deputy chief executive of Hyndburn Council, revealed how the local authority has been lobbying the government for investment for 2,000 new homes in Huncoat and for the expansion of Manchester’s Metrolink system into Rossendale and Accrington. The next meeting of the #AmazingAccrington group will take place on Thursday, January 18, 2018.